


Heartbroken promise

by MalecHeline



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Aline has a big crush, Angst, Breaking up through letter, Carolyn from 2x15 is used, Childhood Friends to Lovers, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Happy Ending, Heartbreak, Looking for meanings in the stars, Slightly dear john vibes in this one scene, Slow Burn, Stargazing, Surfing, exploring the forest, romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-18 00:44:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19965928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalecHeline/pseuds/MalecHeline
Summary: “One blue afternoon she was high up in the sky, still having to stand on the tips of her toes would she ever want to reach the clouds, when she noticed someone down the greens of the forest. Aline looked down from the branch she was leaning her body against and saw through the moving leaves this girl with the iciest hair she’s ever witnessed. She placed her tiny naked feet against the roughness of the tree, trying to move her body fluidly with it so she could see the girl more and more. She was mesmerized looking through the lashes of her dark eyes, staring at this miniscule person moving around.”Aline doesn’t have many friends in this lonesome town, one day she sees this girl hiding in the forest. They quickly become friends and even more over the years, but will their relationship have a happy ending?(This story follows Aline and her childhood friend turned summer romance Carolyn)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my third fic for shwlwbingo and I decided to go big and throw three prompts into one fic (it was supposed to be two, oops) which means it's quite long for a oneshot and I really really really hope people will like it. Last week my friend Noi (bxnelight) uploaded a fic for this bingo (her first one at that!!!! it was simply amazing) and it just inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and write this piece. So i'm not really familiar with this style so be kind to me about it, please :(( The three prompts this will cover for team green are: 'Childhood friends to lovers, Slow burn and Stargazing' I uploaded the epilogue directly after I uploaded this one btw
> 
> Tw// Aline's father has died and it is mentioned

This story begins when one Aline Penhallow was born in a tiny town called Alicante. It was a little down the road from actually nowhere. A town not very known by many, but still admired enough by its locals. Most people came to the old village when travelling through to one bigger and better, to pump some gas for the road or to wonder around the trampled paths and forgotten woods. In this particular city wasn’t much to do, besides daydreaming about anything and everything. But even though the town may seem bleak and lonesome from the outside, the wonders were deeply rooted within. Aline had found the magic this town had hidden early on, as well as the beautiful scenery that engulfed the town. Growing up here had given her the opportunity to explore every rich piece of scenery it had to offer, the river after the wilding woods or the old mysterious shops that were located near the coast. Of course locals knew about these places and also visited them, but it still felt like a safe haven to her. At times, when she was little, the girl visited these place and just listened to the birds chirping and the water stream slowly flowing through. She listened to the soft bristles the branches made when the wind blew, to the calm breeze that would make you think. Somehow it made her feel less alone. Alicante wasn’t a place for normal bystanders, it was for those who cared for it and took care of it.

Aline, had unfortunately lost her deeply beloved father fairly early on. She never forgot how the sun shone high in the sky, the slight summer breeze tried to cool the air and the wind howled like music on the day she had to let him go. Ripped out of the earth, as if no one would notice, as if it wouldn’t matter. But it mattered, it mattered to her. Aline didn’t know what came over her and was confused by her mother trying to comfort her. But unfortunately she finally did understand. She understood every word that was being said, every syllable she pronounced, even though she wanted to pretend she didn’t. Together they lived in a small and old house, nothing like the ones her classmates had. They didn’t have the kind of money to have a big fancy house, so they just had to settle. The small house may be old and sag, but the yard was its saving grace. If Aline couldn’t be found strolling through the woods or hanging her feet off the edge by the pier, she was probably working on her tree house by the big oak tree, a little further away from her home. Her mother didn’t help, it wouldn’t be ‘appropriate’ she would say. But Aline didn’t need her help, she could build the highest tree house in the entire universe that would look out over the town’s highest trees, she would keep on building, until she would reach the sky and could touch the clouds if she wanted to. She didn’t need her mother to build it for her, she could do it herself.

_July 2003_

One blue afternoon she was high up in the sky, still having to stand on the tips of her toes would she ever want to reach the clouds, when she noticed someone down the greens of the forest. Aline looked down from the branch she was leaning her body against and saw through the moving leaves a girl with the iciest hair she’s ever witnessed. She placed her tiny naked feet against the roughness of the tree, trying to move her body fluidly with it so she could see the ice fairy more and more. She was mesmerized looking through the lashes of her dark eyes, staring at this miniscule person moving around. She’s never seen many visitors there since that space sat deep in the town’s mystery. The girl didn’t seem lost, but more as if she finally found something. Aline saw her look around from time to time, moving her luscious locks from side to side, wandering if she hadn’t found what she was looking for just yet. As the girl started trekking through the trees again, Aline placed her feet against the slick part of the tree and slid all the way down. When her feet finally hit the soft moss texture around her. Aline grabbed a thrown out shoe that laid far from the other on the other side of the tree. She groaned softly as she had to step off of the softness that was the moss crawling between her toes and take steps in the painful wooden area to pick up the other one. She winced at the twigs and sticks jabbing at her feet, but she quickly hopped towards her boot and put the protection back on. She looked around if she could see any movement from the ice fairy that was walking through the woods, but knowing where she had been, she just headed that way with a hopeful glint in her eyes and started wandering through the woods.

She looked through the trees, watching the sun beams light out a path until and finally reached the open area. Aline never understood why there were no trees or wooden creatures here, instead there was the greenest grass she’s ever laid her eyes on and it always felt like a breath of fresh air while taking a break. The sun shone directly onto the rocks filled with moss and other greens that had sprung out of the ground. Aline focused her eyes on the white glow this particular rock had beaming around it. She moved quietly, feeling the soft grass between the grooves of her boots. She turned the corner, barely even moving and saw the ice fairy sitting on the ground, counting the leaves of this yellow flower one by one, pulling them off and making this trail of petals around her. Her hair was the brightest color she’d ever seen, as white as a arctic hare who was hiding under the whitest snow. As Aline moved closer and closer the girl had yet to notice, still almost looking hypnotized while plucking at the flowers.

“Hello,” 9-year-old Aline quietly said.

The girl looked up with her big forest green eyes and stared at Aline for a long minute, looking at her from the bottom of her toes to the dark hairs on her head.

“Hi,” the girl smiled softly, revealing the deepest dimples. “I didn’t know anyone would be out here.”

“I didn’t know anyone knew about this,” Aline said back in hushed tones, she sat down next to the ice fairy, leaning against the rock. “This is kinda my space.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the girl started to apologize and shook the petals of the hundreds of flowers off of her skirt, moving to stand up.

“You don’t have to go!” Aline quickly reacted.

“I can stay?” the girl questioned, looking at Aline’s eyes quite clearly.

“Yes,” Aline replied proudly, reaching out her hand softly. Not wanting to frighten the ice fairy. “I’m Aline.”

“Aline….” The girl tested out on her tongue, letting the name softly roll over it and moving her lips along. “That’s a pretty name.”

“What is yours?” She asked curiously.

“I’m Carolyn, Carolyn Starfall.”

“Wow, that is pretty,” Aline breathed out in awe. Her cheeks turned into a blossom peach as Carolyn looked at her kindly.

“Thank you,” she smiled which made her dimples all the more visible. “I’m here on vacation with my parents,” she began. “When we were travelling through here, I saw this forest and wanted to look around. I love the trees.”

“It’s calm here, isn’t it?”

“It feels like I can breathe here without having anything to worry about,” Carolyn sighed and looked up to the tops of the forest.

“I live her,” Aline mentioned. “Since forever and I don’t think I’ll ever go anywhere else.”

Silence fell between the young girls and it gave Aline the opportunity to just look around, gaze through the hidden treasures of the forest and look up into the high sun who was shining over them. Carolyn started plucking a pink flower this time, whispering words now and then.

“She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not,” she muttered under her breath.

“What does that mean?” Aline asked, looking at her intrigued.

“It’s a game,” Carolyn stated and turned towards the black haired girl. “You take a flower.” Carolyn looked around, but soon reached for this blue lilac flower and put it slowly in Aline’s hand. “Then you softly pull off the petals, like this,” she demonstrated. “But you think of someone first, any person and start saying: she loves me, pull a petal off, she loves me not, pull another petal off.”

“Okay.” Aline started doing it petal after petal.

“And then!” Carolyn almost shouted excitedly. “Then you have one petal over and whichever answer that is, would be the truth.”

“Why?” Aline asked. 

“Cause it will reveal the people that love you,” Carolyn smiled. “You don’t have to do it…”

“Do I have to believe it?”

“Not always,” Carolyn decided and put the petal-less flower beside her. “How did you find me?” she suddenly asked, her face morphing into something more serious.

“I saw you from up there,” Aline motioned towards one of the highest trees they could see. It was easily spotted as she had made a pink, orange and white board attached to it to make sure every single person that walked by it, would know it wasn’t theirs.

“A tree house?” Carolyn asked.

“Yes, you wanna see?”

“Yeah!” Carolyn let out excited and got up to stand. “Lead the way,” she said motioning towards the woods.

_July 2008_

As the years slowly ticked by, both of the girls grew older with the day. No one knew why but Carolyn’s family had decided to keep coming to the ominous town every year in summer to spend time down the coast, while Carolyn almost always was high up in the trees. The day she arrived she would be found at the top of the treehouse, waiting for Aline to come by and look for her. The treehouse was now fully finished and looking out over the greenest part of the forest and bluest part of the sky. Not to mention how they could touch the stars if they wanted to at night. Things hadn’t really shifted between the pair, but they only grew closer, they’d spend days watching the clouds, climbing trees, hiking in the forest or watching the waves of the ocean at 5 am. Those things would forever in their small lives be their thing, the things that would only be between them and no one would get. They’d spend days up high in the big tree, looking through the green leaves over the entire town, seeing raindrops fall or any sunbeam shine. Aline learned early on that Carolyn loved the rain, and danced with her arms held wide, twirling through a thunderstorm. Aline had to drag her out of the treehouse every single time that happened, but she almost didn’t want to. She seemed in her element, feeling all the freedom run through her veins, watching it felt almost private. As if this was only meant for the eyes of Carolyn and no one else’s. But she unfortunately had to drag her down every single time, too afraid they would struck by lightning. Carolyn didn’t seem afraid though, she never did.

“You know, yesterday was the first night of the full moon,” Carolyn sighed as Aline was braiding little flowers through her icy blond braid.

“Really?” Aline sighed softly, breathing into her neck.

“I always loved full moons, ever since I can remember. There is something so mysterious and ominous about it. I always imagined a full moon to be a restart. I could start all over, when all the things in my life went wrong. It felt like a new beginning, a chance to start fresh, how cheesy that may sound,” Carolyn fidgeted with her sleeve, but looked back once Aline had laid her head on top of her shoulder.

“It’s not,” Aline breathed between them. Carolyn seemed to observe Aline’s face for a while, her brows were a little furrowed as if she couldn’t figure something out. When Aline’s almost black eyes met hers, she quickly turned her gaze into a softer one. Aline let her eyes slip past her eyes with the long curly eyelashes, to her nose filled with hundreds of little freckles. All looked like they were kisses from fairies as if they had been carefully placed by each one of them. Aline smiled softly and the open space began to feel a little warmer than it had been a minute ago, as she was now staring at the pink lips of her best friend, they had been slightly parted, but quickly closed when Carolyn swallowed the lump in her throat. Aline looked back in her eyes and smiled softly, watching as the dimples she oh so loved returned slowly by Carolyn’s smiling lips. Aline softly kissed her shoulder when she put the last flower past her ear, behind a strand of hair that had fallen into her face. It was Aline’s turn now to look up into the dark sky, watching the stars one by one, looking for the brightest in the universe. 

“Do you think my dad is one of those twinkles?” She asked softly.

“Hmm…” Carolyn thought and started searching the universe as well. “I think he’s that one,” she pointed to the biggest star right next to the small moon.

“Imagine if that would be where you ended up,” Aline sighed, eyes started to glisten.

“Maybe you will,” Carolyn looked back again, reaching out to wipe the tears from Aline’s cheeks.

“You think there is more to life than what we’re doing right now?”

“I’m not sure, this pretty much seems like the best way I could spend my life, for sure,” Carolyn answered honestly. “But there has to be more, there has to be a secret, a mystery to unravel. This world doesn’t make me feel like I belong.”

Aline sighed, running her hands through Carolyn’s thick hair. “You belong with me,” she whispered against her ear.

“Yeah,” Carolyn snuggled further into Aline’s grasp, sighing satisfied when she found the right spot. “In your arms is where I belong.”

“You promise?” Aline’s voice trembled while her eyes were still looking at the brightest star.

“I promise.”

_June 2010_

It was the start of June when the air began to feel hotter and the water began to feel refreshing. Carolyn had arrived earlier this year as she was done with her finals and couldn’t wait to visit. Once upon a time Aline had promised a certain someone she would learn her how to surf and they were about to fulfill it. Aline had started surfing two years ago and was pretty good at it around this time of the year, but teaching someone was going to be quite the struggle. She was going to try though, nothing could stand up against those big dimples and forest green eyes.

“Surfing is a solitary sport, one in which long stretches of boredom are combined with frantic activity, and it teaches you to flow with nature, instead of fighting it… it’s about getting in the zone. At least that is what they always say. For me it isn’t like that. For me, it’s more. It’s about being out there at peace with the water, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time but finally hearing yourself think. That is why I like it so much." Aline explained to Carolyn as they made their way towards the ocean, early Sunday morning. 

“So it’s like hiking,” Carolyn chimed in.

“Hm?” Aline asked a little distracted.

“I go hiking whenever I want to clear my head.”

“Oh, yeah.”

It was still fairly early in the morning, there were not so many people, which Aline thoroughly liked, and the sun hadn’t warmed up yet. The air felt pleasant around them as they strolled along the sand to the water, feeling the tiny grain sifting between their feet. Aline thought about her feelings for Carolyn, if they were returned or if Carolyn even knew about them. She seemed like she knew, since she blushed a few times when she caught Aline’s eyes glance over her body like they’ve done hundreds of times, but she didn’t say anything. Aline placed their towels on the sand close to the water and walked in with her board. She heavily sighed when she felt the cold water between her toes, letting her body fully dive into it. Carolyn followed closely, and yet carefully. Aline saw a few familiar surfers she had seen before and looked out over the water to find the perfect spot for Carolyn. She didn’t realize that she lost sight of Carolyn, until she was far away.

“Hold on. Stop!” she heard her yell. “Stop, Aline.” Aline turned around and saw Carolyn still standing close to the beach, her body was only half in the water. The water came up to her belly button and she looked as if she was freezing.

“Let me just get used to this, okay?”

Aline walked back over to her and looked closely to see Carolyn shivering.

“This is really cold. Holy shit.” Aline smirked at the curse and took Carolyn’s hand to drag her further in, the other girl didn’t seem to appreciate it since she quickly shot up from the water.

“You’ll get used to it sooner if you just dive in, you know,” Aline teased.

“Yeah, right. I’m not doing that.”

“Then I guess we’re not teaching you how to surf today,” Aline swam over to the coast.

“No! I want to, please.” Carolyn begged and sank further in the water, teeth chattering.

“Okay then, come on!” Aline entwined their fingers again and dragged her further down the water to a lonely spot.

“I _really_ don’t like being cold,” Carolyn retorted.

“You literally dance around in the pouring rain if you want to.” Aline bit back.

“Yeah, well…” she seemed to think of a comment to make. “That’s different!”

“If you say so.”

Carolyn was still hopping down in the water, getting used to its temperature. And Aline couldn’t help but smile at her. It just looked so ridiculous.

“I told you, it’ll work better if you just dive in.”

“You’ll do it your way, I’ll do it mine, okay?”

Aline smirked at the sudden sass coming from her, something told her that this wasn’t going to be easy.

“Okay, I think I’m getting there. I still don’t know why you insisted on doing this so early in the morning. It’s ridiculous.” And the way she said ridiculous was just so outrageous that Aline couldn’t help but chuckle at the retort.

“Glad you’re a morning person then,” Aline teased, Carolyn ignored her teasing tone.

“Okay, I’m ready. I think.”

“You think?”

“Yes.” Carolyn moved forward a little with a very serious face. A too serious face.

“Quit laughing at me,” she said noting Aline’s expression.

“I’m not.”

“I can see it in your face, you’re laughing on the inside. So, stop.”

“All right, I will.” Aline waited for Carolyn to come to the board, which she did step by step. Carolyn grabbed the smooth board and tried to climb up on it, as Aline held it in place.

“What do I do now?” Carolyn asked once she was settled on the board.

“Well, remember what I said? Paddle hard, grab the board on both sides, try to climb up and pop up to your feet. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“It can be difficult at first, so don’t worry. If you fall, you’ll just have to try again, okay?”

“Okay,” Carolyn said with a confidence in his voice.

“Get ready…. And… go! Start paddling.”

As the wave hit them both, Aline pushed Carolyn forward and she caught the wave. Aline’s eyes widened once she saw Carolyn pop up on the surfboard, keep her balance and ride the wave all the way out. She wasn’t expecting that! Carolyn jumped off the board once it was back to shore.

“How did I do?” She asked with a smile present on her face. And girl, was Aline in real trouble.

\---

Carolyn breathed in the familiar scent of the ocean, the sand and the smell of food near the coast. This time there was a different smell present, one of burnt wood and she could clearly hear the crackling of the fire as dying branches and twigs gasped for their last breaths before tumbling into the ashes on the pit. She looked behind her watching as Aline threw more sticks on it, making the flames rise up even higher.

“Be careful,” Carolyn warned.

“Don’t worry,” Aline smiled and sat down beside her against the rocks looking out over the beach. Watching the waves arrive and return to its origin. It was slightly mesmerizing to look at. They had spent the entire day washing away in the ocean, so sitting across a warm fire watching as the tiny bits of ashes flew up into the sky, was definitely deserved. Carolyn slightly shivered and Aline wrapped an arm around her, looking at the fiery image in her eyes as she was staring straight into the fire.

“You quite impressed me today,” Aline started. 

“I did some gymnastics when I was younger,” Carolyn explained. “I probably should’ve told you that, before we started doing this.” Carolyn chuckled at Aline’s huff. They had spent hours in the water and she had popped up every single time, it was almost annoying how good she could be, with the right amount of training of course. She knew that Carolyn was someone special, a one in a million, but she just kept falling more and more in love with her every time she discovered something new.

“Soo….. you didn’t think I would be that good?” Carolyn teased. She looked at Aline with a smirk on her face. “I see how it is, you thought I would wipe out.”

“I didn’t say _that_ …”

“You may not, but you’re eyes have betrayed you!” Carolyn accused dramatically. “You really should learn how to have a poker face, Aline. I can see right through you.”

“You know me better than anyone, so of course you could see right through me,” Aline stated and for a second she thought she had heard a faint gasp coming from the other, but looking at her she thought she must’ve imagined it.

“As long as I keep being the person that knows you more than anyone else in the world,” Carolyn whispered in the space between, putting Aline’s hand softly into hers and kissing the back of it, almost tasting the salt of the water. Aline smiled, even if it was partially sad, but still laid her head on Carolyn’s shoulder.

\--

“We should end every evening here,” Carolyn said as she dangled her feet off the floor of the tree house, being high up the trees definitely made her feel some type of way. Slightly freer than she could ever be down there where people were looking, watching her every move. She looked up at the stars and searched for the brightest in the entire universe. This time it was nowhere near the moon, but staring at them behind a branch of the tree.

“I found your dad,” Carolyn said to Aline who was repairing a piece of wood that had come loose during a heavy storm.

“Where?” Aline asked and went to sit next to Carolyn again. Carolyn softly grabbed Aline’s hand, pushed all her fingers down, only looking at the thumb now and moved it over to the star. Putting Aline’s hand up far into the sky.

“Riiight, there,” she whispered in Aline’s ears.

Aline removed her thumb and looked at the star, as if it was looking back at her.

“Hi dad,” she whispered too.

“He’ll be so proud of you,” Carolyn said, bumping their shoulders against each other.

“You think?” Aline asked unsure.

“I know.” She grabbed Aline’s fingers and fumbled with this particular ring sitting on the right one. “Promise right?”

“Promise,” Aline breathed. She slightly turned her head until they were face to face. Carolyn’s lips were slightly parted as she looked deep into Aline’s eyes, wandering what they were about to do. Aline didn’t know if she should, but everything felt right at the moment, the moon shining over them, the treehouse, the feelings. It felt right. She slowly raised a hand to cup Carolyn’s perfectly soft cheek, caressing it with her thumb. Carolyn moved in first and as the fireflies started to dance around them, as the crickets wanted to be heard and the owl started to hoot, she pushed their lips together in the first kiss either of them had shared. Aline moved in a little as her lips softly moved against Carolyn’s perfectly pink ones. The moment they both had anticipated for so long, but as they both suddenly gasped, they knew it would be the most perfect ever.

_August 2012_

The air felt tighter and the breeze felt colder than it ever had this time around. Aline sat high up in the tree, where the wind was trying to wash away her everything. She tightly gripped the paper between her fingers making her knuckles and fingertips go white. She wanted to throw it on the ground and watch it flutter with the wind slowly to the ground. She needed to read it to know why, why she wasn’t here, why she would never be here anymore, but she couldn’t. She looked up into the clouds, still not quite touchable and breathed all the tense energy out, breath after breath. She shook her head softly thinking of the days she had spent right at this spot, waiting for the icy blond hair, trekking through the woods looking for her. She didn’t come and somehow Aline knew this was the end. She looked down at the black ink forming the familiar handwriting of her friend and slowly, carefully began to read.

_My dearest Aline,_

_You’re probably wondering why this is so late and why I couldn’t let you know earlier, but you know why. I’m a coward, always have been and always will be, no matter what you think of me. Last year was the most beautiful fantasy I’ve ever lived, but it was just that… a fantasy. I’m not going to lie to you and say my parents have moved me to another country, because they haven’t. I’m just scared. Scared that my feelings for you will take over my entire being. I thought of you, a lot, and it would be best for me if it would just stick with just that… thoughts. I know I promised you to always be there, to always love you and I will. But I just can’t say yes to the things you want me to say yes to. I’m so sorry for that. Maybe we’ll meet again some day or maybe you’ll forgive me one day, but I want you to know that it is my fault. That I was the one who couldn’t take the leap, that you were the brave one for once. I love you Aline, and it scares me how much I do. I’m so utterly sorry and I will never forget what we had. That will always stay between us, right? I do need you to promise me one thing though, and I know I shouldn’t ask for that, but I have to. Please find a way to love again, and be happy, but please don’t forget me. Can you promise me that?_

_All of my love,_

_Your ice fairy_

“Promise,” Aline breathed out as if that still meant something _._ She looked down at the teardrops smudging the ink, fading the words into one big black blot. She wanted to be mad, to rip the paper into a million little pieces that could only symbolize how broken her heart was, but she couldn’t. She looked at the silver ring sitting on her finger staring back at her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a minute and let the air slowly calm her down. Aline put the letter next to her and wrapped her fingers around the ring, slowly pulling it off. She looked at it through the tears that had gathered in her eyes, wetting her eyelashes and falling down her face. Aline remembered it like it was yesterday, running around the town, going from one place to another, Carolyn finding these identical rings and whispering ‘promise rings’ in her ear. She let the memories over take her for a few minutes, put regretfully placed the ring next to her. They no longer had their promise.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue, this was for my own heart and for Lara xx

_July 2019_

Aline smiled at the familiarity to be looking down on the trees, taking in the scent around her of burned wood and pinecones, it had been a total of 5 years she had been gone. It felt weird at first to leave the ominous town she called home, but the change of scenery did her good. She found different interests, different people and different cultures, she even found people like her, which she failed to do growing up. She reached out over the splintery floors of the treehouse to a tiny almost metal box. She looked at the new wooden planks that were put into place, and huffed. Of course the tree house wouldn’t still have been there after she left for so long. That would be quite the accomplishment, but unfortunately Aline hadn’t been that talented. Still, seeing that a certain someone, even though hating anything outdoors related, make sure the treehouse wasn’t destroyed? It melted her heart. Her mother was sad the day she left, never in her whole life had Aline saw her cry that much. After Carolyn their relationship has shifted through the years, to a better, more healthier place. Her mother had comforted her at first, they began to share secrets and feelings and for the first time in her life she felt loved by her. Felt like she belonged with her mother. So after three years of reconciling her mother had been devasted for her to leave. Aline had joked about how the treehouse would look by the time she came back, and her mother whispered she would take care of it against the shell of her ear, but at the time Aline thought it was just a comment nothing more. Not realizing her mother would keep her promise.

Aline smiled softly as she ran her hand over the cold, icy black box. She had wanted to bring it with her, but knowing she wouldn’t be able to let go if she did, was what held her back. She clicked it open and gasped at what was inside. The letter was still there, ink splotches and all. That wasn’t what she was looking for though, she reached in the corner of the box and wrapped her fingers around the tiny silver band. The ring had become a little rusty, but the tiny pink stone was still intact. She had never heard of her ice fairy ever since that day, but she thought about it all the time. How things could be different, how her life could’ve looked. She didn’t regret a thing that happened since then, she thought to herself while unconsciously running her thumb over the real thing on her ring finger. She looked at both rings side to side, but decided the one that stood for love instead of promises, was the better fit.

“You okay there?” a familiar voice called from downstairs. Aline looked down and saw the love of her life standing by the ladder, waiting to climb up. She quickly climbed up on the ladder until she reached Aline, smiling softly as she sat down beside her. “Hmm?” she hummed and pushed some of Aline’s dark hairs out of her beautiful face.

“I’m okay, Helen,” Aline answered but still looked at the box, filled with things of the past.

“What are you looking at?” her wife-to-be asked.

“Remember when we talked about first kisses?” Aline asked softly. “This was mine.”

“Carolyn?”

“Yeah…” Aline sighed. “I never told you why her name brought tears to my eyes or why it was difficult for me to talk about her.” Aline stopped for a little while, but quickly felt Helen’s reassuring fingers slip into hers, squeezing tightly. “She always came here, every summer and we were…. Inseparable. We did everything together and I told her every single secret I had. One summer things changed and we became more than friends, it was such a magical time and when she left I was already looking forward to seeing her the next year. Only she didn’t come…”

“Why?” Helen quietly asked, leaning her head on Aline’s shoulder, pressing soft kisses to every strip of naked skin she could find.

“She was scared. Scared to be with me and she knew I wanted to be with her. I was so angry, upset that she didn’t take the leap. That she just decided this was it, for the both of us.”

“But you’re not anymore?”

“No, not when I’ve found you in return,” Aline smiled and brought their entwined hands to her baby soft lips. Pressing a few kisses here and there, and finally looking at the shiny ring Helen was wearing. Almost looking identical to hers. “But I do miss her, I’ve missed her for eight years and still think about what could’ve been you know?” Aline said softly while looking down on the green grass a few feet below.

“If you had the opportunity to talk to her, what would you say?”

Aline chuckled lightly and looked deep into Helen’s brown eyes. “That I miss her and that I wished things were different. And…. And that I kept my promise. That I would always keep my promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts and feelings!

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings!


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